1 ^^'i^ Ml Bensef^s^mvt titfdniciAj. 1^5 



the8egd& clunbiistible bodies without oxj^gen ; and it may, per-^ 

 baps^ bd^ argued from this, that our present theory suppose* 

 aitafi^iemeBta which have no existence in reality. Dulong has 

 attmnpted to reconcile this inconsistency by regarding all acids 

 whii^h contain water as hydracids. He joins the oxygen of the^ 

 water to the acid, and forms with the radical of the acid audits 

 oxygen a compound radical, which, in union witli the hydrogen 

 ofitte water, constitutes the hydracid. Thus he regards hydroxis 

 sulphuric acid as a compound of hydrogen with a radical cora-;- 

 posed of an atom of sulphur and four atoms of oxygen ; that is, 

 containing one-third more of oxygen than is considered to exist 

 in sulphuric acid. When this acid combines with a metaly 

 potassium for example, hydrogen only is disengaged, and the 

 potassium combines with the compound radical of the hydracid. 

 The sulphate of potash thus formed ought to be regarded as a 

 compound, not of sulphuric acid and potash, but of potassiorti: 

 and the radical of the hydracid (that is, sulphur with the whole 

 quantity of oxygen, constituting a single integrant particle). 

 When this hydracid is placed in contact with potash, the alkali 

 is reduced by the hydrogen of the acid, water is formed, and the 

 potassium unites with the compound radical of the acid. Again, 

 if this acid be mixed with ammonia, no trace of water is pro- 

 duced, but the hydrogen unites with the ammonia, and forms 

 ammonium, which now combines with the radical of the acid. 

 Now there does not exist a single neutral ammoniacal salt, 

 which does not contain this quantity of hydrogen; that is, 

 which, according to the commonly received theory, does not 

 contain a portion of chemically <iombined water, whose hydro- 

 gen corresponds with this quantity. This explanation of Du- 

 long's is unquestionably entitled to considerable praise ; because 

 it re-estabhshes the harmony in the doctrine of salts which had 

 been disturbed by the new theory respecting the nature of 

 muriatic acid, and indeed to a still more general extent* by the 

 phenomena accompanying the combinations of hydracids. 



The combination of hydracids with saline bases gives rise 

 both to acid and subsalts. The acid saUs are produced when 

 the sahne looking compounds of the radicals of the acid and 

 base combine with a new quantity of the hydracid, the result of 

 which union is a body possessed to a greater or less extent of 

 acid properties. Such are the ferruretted prussic acid, the 

 compounds styled hydrosulphuretted alkalies, and according to 

 tke onew theory respecting the nature of muriatic acid, the acid 

 muriate of oxide of gold. Hitherto, however, we have become 

 acquainted with only a very limited number of these acid salts. 

 The compounds containing an excess of base are much less 

 unfrequent, and they are produced when the neutral compounds 

 of the radicals of the acid and base unite with a portion of the 

 oxide of the lattei: ; the result being a subsalt, coinciding in all 



